February 28, 2005
It's Official
This morning, as we were getting ready for work, Jon asked me to marry him.
I said yes.
Posted by criminal at 6:01 PM | Comments (13)
February 25, 2005
Ten Things I've Done That You Probably Haven't:
It took me a while, but I finally came up with a list of relatively unique things I've done that you probably haven't. Unless of course you have. In which case you should tell me so I can figure out something else to put here.
- Had major plastic surgery.
- Flew 600 miles for a first date.
- Slept on a black sand beach.
- Read books by Stephen King, Michael Crichton, and V.C. Andrews at age 10.
- Cartwheeled down the hallway of the Campus Center at four in the morning.
- Distracted the lead singer (and a lot of other men) at a concert by wearing tiny strobe lights atop each of my breasts.
- Basked in the midnight sun.
- Bunked up in an English boarding school.
- Got third degree burns from falling into a fire pit, and have virtually no scarring to show for it.
- Met the most important person in my life online.
Posted by criminal at 7:37 PM | Comments (0)
Quarter Century
Who were you then
And who are you
Now that you can't pretend
That you can figure it all out
Posted by criminal at 3:47 PM | Comments (0)
Five on Friday for February 25, 2005
1. What kind of car do you drive? 2000 Chevy Malibu
2. What's your dream car? You mean other than a 1999 Buick Riviera Silver Arrow? Probably a Cadillac SRX V8 Luxury. It's technically an SUV, but it's not even a foot higher than my car and about the same length.
3. Do you keep the inside of your car clean, or is it messy? I kept it clean for several years. It was easy when I parked in a lot with a dumpster. I would carry my trash out with me every time I got out. But now? Now there's usually a bag of trash on the passenger's side and I tend to leave random things in the backseat instead of bringing them inside.
4. Do you know how to drive a stick shift? Check the oil? Change a tire? In theory I know how to drive a stick shift. I have had almost no practice, though I'm confident I could drive one (poorly) if I had no other option. I know how to check the oil, and I know how to change a tire, although, like the stick shift, I haven't had any practice.
5. Have you ever been caught speeding? Did you get a ticket? Not technically, no. I drove through a really sneaky speed trap on 290 in Shrewsbury once and an officer gestured that I should slow down. Granted, the cop was waving at pretty much everyone, but I guess it means someone "caught" me.
Posted by criminal at 11:49 AM | Comments (0)
February 24, 2005
Lifesavers Pastels
Flavors: Red Raspberry, Mango Medley, Cotton Candy, Watermelon, Blueberry, Pina Colada, Strawberry-Kiwi, and Banana
Size: 1.25 grams, more ovoid than spherical, about the size of a black bean
Colors: pastels of course, although they are fairly saturated
Texture: relatively soft compared to most beans
Overall Experience: The first few beans were a major disappointment. The watermelon flavor is terrible, as is the raspberry. The flavors are like police artist sketches of the originals, muddled and unatural. My opinion was improved when I tasted the blueberry and strawberry-kiwi, both of which are strong and sweet. The pina colada is much heavier on pineapple than most and the cotton candy is passable. They're probably better off sticking to traditional candy flavors.
Rating: 2/5
Posted by criminal at 6:23 PM | Comments (0)
Hippy
I said I was unable to walk to Boomer's in my last entry, but that's not entirely true. I could do it if I absolutely had to. Like if I needed some life-saving elixer that existed only at Boomer's and no one could deliver it for me. Or if there were a significant monetary wager at stake. Or if Martha Stewart was there teaching Brett Favre how to make his own football out of all-natural materials that could only be found in some remote andean village. Then I might consider making the trip.
You see, I can walk. But I can't seem to do it withough a limp. My leg feels like it isn't properly seated in the hip socket. It's kind of like that feeling in your knuckles before you crack them -- a strange disconnected feeling, like there's more space than there should be. I can usually pop my hip when it feels weird, but I haven't been able to do it this time. And it hurts like a mofo when I move it certain directions, which means I can't sit Indian style, or put my pants on the usual way, or climb into my car, or lower myself into my chair, or cross my legs. I figure it's bursitis, which means my only recourse is rest. Hopefully that's all it is, because I'd really like to stave off hip replacement until I'm much, much older.
Posted by criminal at 3:20 PM | Comments (3)
Is That Delivery?
So, we got a stern warning from upstairs earlier this week when Alex's girlfriend ordered him lunch and it was mistakenly delivered upstairs. You see, the library doesn't allow food inside, except in the staff lounge and for special occasions, like meetings in the archives conference room or the Library Luau. So they discourage deliveries, thinking that students will see the food and assume that they can do it too. That being said, since we're a separte office with a separate entrance, we can enjoy all the food and deliveries we want. Provided they actually come to our door. Today Amy and I ordered food from Boomer's, a neighborhood pizza/sandwich shop. Not wanting to drive the three blocks (and pretty much incapable of walking it) I asked that they deliver it to the basement of the library building on Boynton Street. I specifically said that they were under no circumstances to deliver it to the front entrance. They took my number and said the delivery man would call if he had any problems finding our office. A short time later, I answer the phone, fully expecting to explain to some poor delivery guy how to find our office. Instead it's a librarian. Our delivery guy is standing upstairs and she will send him down. I called Boomer's to let them know that their driver completely failed to follow directions and delivered to the exact place I expressly said not to. As I hang up the phone, a guy comes through the inner door carrying our food. Seems that when the librarian sent him down, she sent him down through the library. Through the locked doors that say "staff only". Past dozens of hungry students. This is so forbidden and so potentially bad. If we get in trouble for this botched delivery, I'm going to have a fit.
Posted by criminal at 2:50 PM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2005
Carless
I dropped my car at the dealership today for a whole host of fixes. First is a new windshield. I had an unfortunate run in with a rock and didn't realize any damage had been done until Jon pointed it out last week. In all fairness, the chip and subsequent crack is mostly hidden by my rearview mirror, so I'm not completely oblivious. Next, some repairs to the hazzard lamp circuitry. I should have reliable turn signals when they're through. What a novelty. Then it'll get a nice oil change followed by an inspection. I get to pick it up tomorrow morning. But I'm certain it will have to go back again, even after all of that. After doing a little research on some car sites, I discovered that most of my car's quirks are actually fixable things. Like the fan not working on settings 1 and 2. And the useless air intake switch. And the terrible brakes that need fixing every 10,000 miles. Not to mention that I'm just about due for a tire rotation and alignment. I figure it's best to do that after pot hole season is over.
Posted by criminal at 6:20 PM | Comments (3)
February 21, 2005
Diversity Does Food
It's diversity week in the dining halls and food court. Today was supposed to be Indian, but Amy and I were too late to get the good stuff. I ended up with a big bowl of chicken soup and a side of cauliflower nan (which was surprisingly spicy and good). Not quite the curry feast I had been hoping for. We'll have to get there earlier tomorrow.
Posted by criminal at 3:20 PM | Comments (1)
The Magical Fruit
It's that time of year again. Even though it is snowing, the stores are busy stocking Easter goodies, including our beloved jelly beans. Amy brought in an grocery sack full of them today, marking the start of year two of bean taste-testing. The first bag (Starburt Sour) is already in the bowl and I cracked a second (Smuckers Puckers) so that I could complete the review I started writing last spring but never finished. And if our workstudies continue eating them at the rate they did last year, I'll need to make weekly runs to the store to keep the bowl full.
Posted by criminal at 1:26 PM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2005
Five on Friday for February 11, 2005
Money Matters
I'm a dork. I admit it. I forgot to do Money Matters last Friday. I had grand plans of doing it this week, but ended up doing much more productive things every time I thought about it. So after much ado, here it is:
1. Cash, check or charge? Charge. Everything is direct deposit these days, so I don't often see cash.
2. On whom or what do you spend most of your money? Being single, I spend it mostly on myself.
3. How often do you shop for yourself, and what do you splurge on? Aside from food and other necessities? I would like to say once or twice a month, but that damned Target makes it so easy to buy frivolous things like candles and wicker baskets when all you really need is toilet paper and toothpaste.
4. A recent TV commercial claimed the average American has 14 credit cards. Are you average, above, or below? I only have 4 -- one that I use for everyday purchases, one that I'm simply paying off from that rough period a couple years ago, and two store credit cards. At one time I had oodles of store credit cards, even though I rarely charged things to them. After getting my credit report and the suggestions for improving my score, I decided to close all those unused accounts.
5. If someone gave you $1000 with the condition that you can only use it "for fun", what would you do/buy? Damn. My first instinct would be to pay down my debt, or at the very least put most into my savings account for the next time I need work done on my car. But if I had to, I'd probably buy shoes. And enough yarn to make a nice sweater. And a plane ticket to visit my family.
Posted by criminal at 3:32 PM | Comments (1)
Five on Friday for February 18, 2005
Forces of Nature
1. What's the most severe weather you've ever experienced? I remember flooding and tornados when I was a kid, but we were never hit very hard. I've also seem plenty of snow and ice storms in my life. The worst would have to be the snow storm I got stuck in back in March of 2001. With the snowy forecast, I was sure that my flight from Detroit to Providence would be cancelled. Just like every other flight headed to New England that evening. I ended up being one of the only a couple dozen people at TFGreen, feeling quite lonely but positive as I scraped 6" of snow off my car in the long-term parking lot at 10 pm. After all, there was just over an inch of snow on the roads and Worcester was less than 50 miles away. But the farther I got from Providence, the fewer cars I saw on the quickly deteriorating expressway. By 11pm I was the only car on the road. I hadn't seen a plow or salt truck in at least half an hour, four inches of snow had built up on my moving car, I couldn't see more than 20 yards in front of me as I inched along, and I wasn't even out of Rhode Island yet. So I checked in to the first motel I saw. There was at least another foot of snow on my car when I woke up. But the plows had been out on the road, so I headed towards Worcester. But when I got there I had no place to go -- my parking lot was plowed, but the city had filled the driveway with a pile of snow 4' high and 6' deep. There was no way I was shoevelling through that with the dinky emergency shovel in my trunk. The radio kept telling everyone to stay off the roads because they were so bad, but there was no where to park my car to get off them. Everything except a couple gas stations and Dunkin' Donut shops was closed. So I just drove around until the driveway was cleared out and I could safely park.
2. What kind of natural disaster scares you the most? I was going to say earthquakes, but after seeing footage of the Tsunami, I think I've changed my mind. I think I could deal with the earth moving beneath my feet, but being swept off it would be so much worse.
3. Where would you live if climate was the only factor? Anchorage, Alaska for the sunny, mild summers and chilly winters.
4. Do you suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder? I suffer from severe depression. And it's generally worse when I don't get enough daylight. Lack of daylight alone isn't enough to make me feel lousy though, so I'd wager I wouldn't be diagnosed with SAD.
5. What is your favorite thing to do when it rains? Nothing in particular -- it's not much different than any other time. Snow is different though. I just love to sit and watch it fall.
Posted by criminal at 3:00 PM | Comments (1)
February 16, 2005
Valentines Day V3.0
My Valentine's weekend was pretty low key. Jon came down Friday night and we made dinner with some great veggies from the organic food store a few blocks from my place. He had a fantasy football league meeting in Connecticut on Saturday, so I was able run a bunch of errands and get started on the hat I've been promising him for months. We joined Natalie and a bunch of other people in Chinatown for her annual Chinese New Year Dim Sum gathering. And other than Jon losing his phone down a sewer drain, it was a great day. Jon is looking forward to stopping at the Asian markets this summer because they have a great slection of unusual (and cheep) produce. We had a few leftovers on Sunday night while we watched Napoleon Dynamite. I had to work on Monday but Jon stayed home, slaving away in the kitchen, to make me a big Valentine dinner. He got all Iron Chef on me with some appetizers made of risotto cups filled with lobster, roasted red peppers, leeks, cilantro, and avacado. For dinner, he made rib roast, garlic smashed potatoes, and shredded spinach. He even made me a heart-shaped chocolate cake and white chocolate covered strawberries. It was so nice. The perfect way to spend Valentine's day.
Posted by criminal at 6:30 PM | Comments (0)
February 14, 2005
That's What I Said
Sarah: ...since we launched the new homepage, it may take a little longer to get to your e-mail, but we will take a look.
Professor: It's good. We like it very much. I showed it in my class today because we use myWPI.
Sarah: The new site? And you found the link?
Professor: Oh yes. Just the top right corner of the page.
Sarah: We've had a number of complaints from students who haven't been able to find it, so I'm glad to hear you had no problems.
Professor: All you have to do is look.
Sarah: That's what I said.
Posted by criminal at 2:22 PM | Comments (0)
New Page
Contrary to popular belief, there is still a link to myWPI on the new WPI homepage. Hundreds of students are now blaming us for their academic failure. Just because we removed the underutilized "quick links" drop-down that contained links to such vital sites as the Registrar's Office (registrar.wpi.edu), Webmail (webmail.wpi.edu), Gordon Library (library.wpi.edu), and myWPI (my.wpi.edu).
And now it dawns on me. We're simply enablers. We have helped a whole generation of WPI students become so utterly lazy that they can't navigate a Web site by themselves. We're bad, bad people.
Posted by criminal at 12:25 PM | Comments (3)
February 11, 2005
In My Head
bouncy bouncy bounce bounce ribbity ribbit ribbit
bump bum bump bum bum bumpity bump bump bump
Aaack. I have a song stuck in my head. And not just any song; it had to be Percy Grainger's Children's March. I haven't played the tune in nearly 10 years but it's bouncing around my head in all its cheerful marchyness. The worst part? iTunes doesn't have it, so I can't buy the whole thing and satisfy the little basson player in my head. The midi version just doesn't cut it either.
Posted by criminal at 6:25 PM | Comments (0)
chip off the old block
Yay! I get to crush someone's dreams. [Nick, Student Web Developer]
Posted by criminal at 5:34 PM | Comments (0)
February 10, 2005
Dangle
I don't normally go in for dangly earrings. They're always getting caught in my hair or my shirt collars. Not to mention that they have to be removed every night and stored in a neat and orderly fashion. That's way too high maintenance for me. Even so, I'm digging the "utterly fabulous accessories" at Fab Squad. I don't get dolled up very often, but I could see myself wearing ivory leaves or pearly. I think mostly I like to look at them.
Posted by criminal at 4:10 PM | Comments (1)
February 9, 2005
February Funk
What is it about February? Seems like almost everyone I know is feeling ill this month. Including me. I was feeling fine this morning but when I put my toothbrush away I nearly fell to the floor as waves of pain washed over me. It felt like someone had hooked my insides with pliers and was attempting to pull the flesh out through the space between a few of the ribs on my back. It would subside and come rushing back the moment I even thought about breathing or moving. Thankfully when I saw my doctor almost two hours later the intensity had lessened. Her best guess is some sort of muscle strain and inflamation but sent me for chest x-rays to rule out other causes. She also sent me home with 800mg Motrin and an offer for muscle relaxants, which I declined. I can feel the first pill wearing off now, just seven hours after I took the first. I really hope it's just a strain that will heal with a little rest.
Posted by criminal at 7:38 PM | Comments (0)
February 8, 2005
My Thoughts Exactly
The producers also seem to think that they can draw an audience that usually doesn't watch football for the big game if they have a halftime show that appeals to no one who watches football.
Take for instance the silver anniversary of the Super Bowl that featured New Kids on the Block. No one who wanted to see the Giants play the Bills wanted to rock out to "Hangin' Tough." And no one who wanted to see New Kids do their little dance cared that there was a pretty good game going on in Tampa.
[Mary Fischer, CNN]
Posted by criminal at 6:40 PM | Comments (1)
If You Can't Beat 'Em
If you read this, even if I don't speak to you often, post a memory of me. It can be anything you want, it can be good or bad, just so long as it happened.
Then post this to your journal. See what people remember about you.
Posted by criminal at 5:11 PM | Comments (7)
February 7, 2005
Super Sexy
That collective moan you heard during the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl? Definately not New England fans disappointed over the Eagles comeback.
More like millions of ovaries melting upon seeing the footage of Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi romping with his children. How sexy was that?
Posted by criminal at 5:28 PM | Comments (1)
Super Sunday
After spending Friday and Saturday in Worcester, Jon and I headed back to Chelmsford to watch the Super Bowl with Steve. It was nice to see the Pats win again, even if they tried their hardest to give the game away in the first quarter. If not for all the penalties, we probably would've gotten more than one first down and multiple scoring opportunities for our man Adam Vinatieri. Scoring opportunities that probably would've saved my sanity during the fourth quarter.
On a related note: I'm sick of the people who watch the Super Bowl just so they can see the commercials. They ruin it for the football fans. They're the reason the NFL and FOX spend gazillions of dollars on flashy pre-game and half-time shows. Hell, they're the reason Joe Buck and Chris Collinsworth get to announce. If it were just a normal game they'd have a crew with real skill lined up. But they have to appeal to the lowest common denominator, so the rest of us get stuck with all the extra crap.
Posted by criminal at 1:17 PM | Comments (2)
iPod
Liz finally got the iPod Jewelry store open! Looks like she has been hard at work getting some products ready. And me? I sold my Ugg inspired cozy late last week and haven't quite finished my second cover (it's completely beaded and totally swank). Now that my apartment is mostly clean I feel better about spending time on them. Hopefully I'll have a couple to share with Liz by the end of the week.
Posted by criminal at 11:24 AM | Comments (2)
February 4, 2005
Five on Friday for February 4, 2005
1. Is there someone you have not forgiven for something? I still haven't forgiven Sam for saying I wasn't a true friend and blaming me for his problems. Those vindictive and egomaniacal words made me doubt everything I knew about myself and my relationships. After what we'd been through as friends, lovers, and roommates, it completely gutted me. I bled self-worth until I had none left. It took me months to realize that he had hurt me just to make himself feel better for his mistakes.
2. What would it take for you to forgive that person? I'm not sure. I know it's not healthy to hang on to, but I've survived the pain and expressed my anger. So all of the strong emotions have worked themselves out. I wouldn't say I have forgiven him, because I don't know that I ever will. But I can say that I am letting go. While part of me would like to forget it ever happened, just like I forgave and forgot the myriad of trivial wounds Sam inflicted during the time I knew him, the majority of me wants to hold on to a scrap of that feeling to remind myself that you can only forgive so much before you break.
3. Do you forgive easily, or bear a grudge? I am forgiving to a fault and can almost always empathize the transgression away. And even though my forgiveness blinded me to Sam's abuse, I still rely on it. It's my forgiveness that mends my thin skin after all. This is one of the first times in my life I recall bearing a real, honest-to-goodness grudge.
4. What transgressions do you consider unforgivable? The most malicious ones -- those done deliberately to cause pain. I abhor emotional abuse, physical, and sexual abuse whose only purpose is to torment another person. I can forgive most crimes driven by passion, but not those that are driven by hate and perversion. It's a fine line drawn by my ability to empathize with the perpetrator.
5. Have you done something that someone else has not forgiven? Do you seek their forgiveness? In the conversation mentioned in my answer to the first question, Sam laid the sole blame for our relationship, and the effects it had on his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, squarely on my shoulders. He felt it was my fault that he sought me out, that he decided to break up with his girlfriend, that he jumped into bed with me immediately after, and that she lost some faith in him after hearing of the emotional attachment he'd formed to me. He told me that he would never be able to forgive me for what he had done. The reasoning boggles my mind to this day. Yes, we made a mistake, but we made it together.
Posted by criminal at 7:41 PM | Comments (0)
February 2, 2005
Adoption
When Jon and I were in Michigan for the holidays we got to know these cute kittens, courtesy of my sister. She was kitten-sitting for her friend and fellow vet student, Bernie. Celia and Willie (so-named for his lone eye) are litter mates and absolutely adorable. Jon feel hard for Celia, the little white sploched girl he dubbed "Silly." We even joked about sneaking her home in our luggage.
As it turns out, Bernie is thinking about finding her a new home. And of course we jumped at the chance to adopt her. Technically, she'll be Jon's cat. But I won't mind sharing. Barbie and Bernie are thinking about driving out with the kittens during their spring break in early March. And if all else fails, I can fly to Michigan for a weekend visit and bring her back with me.
I just wonder how well my spoiled cat will adapt to having another attention hog in the house.
Posted by criminal at 8:50 PM | Comments (5)
February 1, 2005
Happily Ever After
He'll make me happy
Each time I see him
He'll be the reason
My heart can sing
[Miss Piggy, Finale from The Muppets Take Manhattan]
Posted by criminal at 9:30 PM | Comments (0)
Now With Fully Functional Comments!
After a call to my webhost I got my comments fixed. It turns out that they had indeed blocked my comments script when they upgraded the server's security package. They weren't able to tell me why it wasn't turned on after the upgrade or why my helpdesk ticket was mysteriously resolved without comment. But comments are back for the time being. Huzzah.
Posted by criminal at 4:17 PM | Comments (0)
Getting Warmer
It's toasty in the office now. It's up to 76 degrees at my desk, which feels tropical compared to this time last week. I can't complain. The library had its spring book sale today, which means I have a few best sellers to add to my bedside table: Running With Scissors, The Lovely Bones, The Dive From Clausen's Pier, and The Emporor of Ocean Park. I also need to get my hands on the next two book club books, Middlesex and The Dante Club. Maybe I'll try to borrow those from the library.
Posted by criminal at 4:09 PM | Comments (2)